Recognizing when a cat is in pain is difficult except in the most extreme cases. Thousands of years of natural selection have made cats VERY good at masking pain. After all, it’s generally not a good idea to advertise the fact that you’re not at your best when a predator or potential mate might be nearby.
How Do I Know If My Cat Is in Pain?
For cats, pain encompasses more than just the “I hurt” sensation, but also the overall distress that it can cause. As the World Small Animal Association’s Global Pain Council puts it:
“Pain is a complex multi-dimensional experience involving sensory and affective (emotional) components. In other words, ‘pain is not just about how it feels, but how it makes you feel,’ and it is those unpleasant feelings that cause the suffering we associate with pain.”
Veterinarian Panel Consensus: 25 Signs of Pain in Cats
A panel of 19 international veterinary experts in feline medicine agreed that the best way to assess cat pain without contributing to or exacerbating the pain is by looking for these changes in your cat’s behaviour. Keep in mind, any one of the 25 signs of cat pain listed below are sufficient to diagnose pain. Your cat doesn’t need to be displaying all of these signs of pain for it to be a potential problem.
Lameness (limping)
Difficulty jumping
Abnormal gait
Reluctance to move
Reaction to palpation (touching)
Withdrawn or hiding
Lack of self-grooming
Playing less
Appetite decrease
Overall activity decrease
Rubbing themselves on people less
General mood change
Temperament change
Hunched-up posture
Shifting weight when standing, lying down or walking
Licking a particular body region
Lower head posture
Squinting
Change in feeding behavior
Avoiding bright areas
Growling
Groaning
Eyes closed
Straining to urinate
Tail flicking
While this list of signs of pain in cats is helpful, it only goes so far. Your veterinarian is the best person to help you decide whether these changes in your cat are pain-related.For instance, a cat who has an abnormal gait might certainly be in pain, but other non-painful conditions (e.g., neurologic disorders) could also be involved. Or, a cat who changes her general mood may not be in pain but may have a hormonal change such as a hyperactive thyroid. So always consult your Vet as soon as you notice these signs.
Article curtesy of petmd.com